-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South African mountain bike star Burry Stander , who narrowly missed out on a medal at the London Olympics , has been killed in a road accident .

Stander , 25 , was on a training ride when he was hit Thursday by a vehicle in Shelly Beach , on the country 's southeast coast , according to Cycling South Africa , the national cycling body .

Details of the accident are still being investigated , it said .

`` Not only is this a loss to South African sport , but we have lost a true gentleman who through his professionalism , modesty and humility , constantly showing sheer guts , represented our country with great pride , '' Cycling South Africa said in the statement released Thursday .

The organization expressed its condolences to Stander 's family , including his wife and parents .

Stander finished fifth in the Men 's Cross Country mountain bike event at the Olympic Games in London last year .

It was the second Olympics for Stander , who had finished 15th in the same event at the Beijing Games .

He rode a superb race to move through the field in a race won by Jaroslav Kulhavy of the Czech Republic from Nino Schurter of Switzerland .

Italy 's Marco Fontana was third , 25 seconds adrift , with Stander only missing out on the podium by four seconds in a close finish .

He had won the 2011 African championships to book his place at the Games . Adrien Niyonshuti was fourth in the same race to become the first Rwandan to qualify for an Olympic competition .

Stander had recently married the multiple South African road race champion Cherise Taylor .

CNN 's Jethro Mullen contributed to this report .

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Burry Stander is hit by a vehicle while on a training ride in South Africa

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He was the country 's most successful mountain biker

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He finished fifth in his event at the Olympic Games in London last year

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Stander missed out on a medal by just four seconds